The Caley v (Same Old) Alloa

[ICTChris]

Assume Alloa were cheating.

[micaley68]

19 minutes ago, ICTChris said:

Assume Alloa were cheating.

They always do. "Allegedly"

[Highland Capital]

It's excruciatingly obvious how Storey isn't a winger.  I know we're a bit short of numbers but it's really obvious it's not his position.  When he's running with the ball he's fine, but his crossing and shooting from range is absolutely rubbish.

[sophia]

Less to do with cheating, more to do with chancing.

I warned several weeks ago that we are soft in defence with neither of our central defenders backing up their ambition with either core skills or concentration.

McCart's poor decision making led directly to a late loss of two points.

At the other end of the park, there are worries that are obvious.

MacGregor doesn't seem ready or confident enough and the point made above about Storey is one I agree with.

Fair play to Alloa, their first goal was easy on the eye and their alacrity at the end earned a point that was well worked for.

[RiG]

Quite incredible that we didn't win that game today yet at the same time it would have been quite incredible had we actually won it because we were absolutely dreadful.

Really well worked goal for Alloa after only a few minutes. Some neat build up play down the ICT right saw the ball worked into the feet of Buchanan and quick as a flash he dispatched a curling shot past a static Ridgers into the net. We were almost back in it when a Storey cross, the one good cross he put in all day, found MacGregor only a few yards out but his header was right at MacDonald and he pushed the youngsters effort away from danger. Most of the first half was ICT struggling to create anything of note whilst Alloa defended in numbers and presumably pissing themselves at how bad our attacking play was.

Second half was basically an overload exercise as ICT went forward time and time again but with precious little to show until Tremarco latched onto a loose ball from his own corner which had only been partially cleared and he sent a glorious shot into the top corner of the net.

Five minutes from the end it looked like we were heading for the top of the league when Tremarco crossed for White to bundle in a header from close range (similar to his goal v Partick) and that was surely going to be it.

At least it was until McCart had another brain fart and dallied on the ball when defending and instead of sending it back to Ridgers or clearing it up the pitch he played it out for a throw in. The following long throw was flicked on and Trouten stole in at the back post with Curry asleep to grab a deserved share of the points for Alloa.

Donaldson and McCart were really poor today. Despite not being put under much pressure their balls out of defence were absolutely rotten, Donaldson especially, and often set up chances for Alloa to break on us. Storey was poor again and had one decent cross from the flanks. He isn't a winger and struggled there at Partick so why we are persisting with him there is bizarre. MacGregor struggled to create much of note in the middle as Alloa packed the midfield and sat deep. There was zero creativity in the ICT side today to break them down and it would have been very harsh, though thoroughly pleasing, had we won that game.

With Queens getting a superb result today and Morton possessing an excellent home record the next couple of games are going to be a lot more difficult than they might appear on paper.

Edited October 19, 2019 by RiG

[Waspie]

That was a good point for us and deserved for the effort the players put in. The move for the first goal was terrific, like the one which ended with Trouten hitting the post last week but this time with the finish. As the half went on though we struggled to keep the ball and got deeper and deeper. Was a relief to get in at 1-0.

Despite ICT having a lot of the ball in the second half I thought we were containing them pretty well until Tremarco hit an absolute beauty. Our players were very slow to get out to him and I think they thought the keeper had been fouled at the corner, but the strike was fantastic. We continued to sit deep but still not cough up too many chances, until there was a bit of slackness allowing a good a ball in and at 2-1 that should have been that. This Alloa team always keeps going though and Andy Graham - who had missed a great chance with a header earlier - got a flick on which Trouts buried. Caley could have won it still with the late free kick, but I don't think they would have really deserved the win. 

We are so short of players and to get a point at Inverness with not much more than 11 fit men, and no Flannigan, is a terrific effort. We desperately need to add to the squad though, there is a lack of pace up front and depth in general. We are already down to the bare bones and if we were to get a few more injuries we'd be absolutely fucked. 

I thought the Inverness of last season, when they got their best 11 on the park and flowing, were as good as anything in the league. Couldn't say that about the two performances against us over the past week though, looked pretty one dimensional and overly physical. Doran, who is a class act on his day, miles off the pace today. Plenty of talent in that squad though, I'm sure Robertson will pull it together. 

Edited October 19, 2019 by Waspie

[PB1994]

That was a good point for us and deserved for the effort the players put in. The move for the first goal was terrific, like the one which ended with Trouten hitting the post last week but this time with the finish. As the half went on though we struggled to keep the ball and got deeper and deeper. Was a relief to get in at 1-0.
Despite ICT having a lot of the ball in the second half I thought we were containing them pretty well until Tremarco hit an absolute beauty. Our players were very slow to get out to him and I think they thought the keeper had been fouled at the corner, but the strike was fantastic. We continued to sit deep but still not cough up too many chances, until there was a bit of slackness allowing a good a ball in and at 2-1 that should have been that. This Alloa team always keeps going though and Andy Graham - who had missed a great chance with a header earlier - got a flick on which Trouts buried. Caley could have won it still with the late free kick, but I don't think they would have really deserved the win. 
We are so short of players and to get a point at Inverness with not much more than 11 fit men, and no Flannigan, is a terrific effort. We desperately need to add to the squad though, there is a lack of pace up front and depth in general. We are already down to the bare bones and if we were to get a few more injuries we'd be absolutely fucked. 
I thought the Inverness of last season, when they got their best 11 on the park and flowing, were as good as anything in the league. Couldn't say that about the two performances against us over the past week though, looked pretty one dimensional and overly physical. Doran, who is a class act on his day, miles off the pace today. Plenty of talent in that squad though, I'm sure Robertson will pull it together. 

Very good assessment of the game. That is not our strongest 11 though tbf. Our 2 best players are out injured and they make a massive difference to how we play.

The ref again had a shocking performance, on both sides, but I still can’t believe he didn’t give us a free kick right on the edge of the box (at 2-1) when white was hauled down by one of the Alloa centre backs. I know we should have defended better and not conceded the second but that was bloody criminal.

[Highland Capital]

Also, I see the Alloa fans were in the Main Stand today.  Anyone know how many Main Stand home fans are still overcome with horror?

[printer]

The ref again had a shocking performance, on both sides,

Nonsense.

[SandyCromarty]

9 hours ago, Highland Capital said:

Also, I see the Alloa fans were in the Main Stand today.  Anyone know how many Main Stand home fans are still overcome with horror?

I think I've mentioned this before but prior to the North and South stands being built away fans always sat in the south end of the main stand, in all the years we spent in the lower leagues there was absolutely no trouble apart from one incident I recall where Airdrie fans started battering lumps out of each other, bear in mind that many of the teams now in the championship with us were there in our early days, plus we stand shoulder to shoulder with them in the bar prior to the game with no complaints.

[Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)]

2 hours ago, SandyCromarty said:

I think I've mentioned this before but prior to the North and South stands being built away fans always sat in the south end of the main stand, in all the years we spent in the lower leagues there was absolutely no trouble apart from one incident I recall where Airdrie fans started battering lumps out of each other, bear in mind that many of the teams now in the championship with us were there in our early days, plus we stand shoulder to shoulder with them in the bar prior to the game with no complaints.

Apart from a wee bit of back and forth verbals across the sections in the closing stages- there was very little in terms of issues. In fact probably far less than any Ive seen in comparison to other grounds where its a similar setup for housing away fans.

The section allocated isnt great, although completely understand why a small support is placed there. Despite having a roof, the stadium is so open in that area that you have no protection from the elements- rained on for the second week in a row.

The stadiums definitely scenic, and you really cant argue about exiting straight onto the A9 after the game. But its still a nonsense for me having the ground so far away from the town. Modern life i guess.

3 hours ago, printer said:

 

 

Nonsense.

 

Other than missing a debatable foul leading up to ICTs opener, I actually thought he did fine. The Jordan White incident on the outside of the area I thought the 2 got into a tangle with both players giving as good as each other. Certainly wasnt clear cut, but admittedly id have been shouting for a simialr incident had it occurred up the other end.

14 hours ago, Waspie said:

That was a good point for us and deserved for the effort the players put in. The move for the first goal was terrific, like the one which ended with Trouten hitting the post last week but this time with the finish. As the half went on though we struggled to keep the ball and got deeper and deeper. Was a relief to get in at 1-0.

Despite ICT having a lot of the ball in the second half I thought we were containing them pretty well until Tremarco hit an absolute beauty. Our players were very slow to get out to him and I think they thought the keeper had been fouled at the corner, but the strike was fantastic. We continued to sit deep but still not cough up too many chances, until there was a bit of slackness allowing a good a ball in and at 2-1 that should have been that. This Alloa team always keeps going though and Andy Graham - who had missed a great chance with a header earlier - got a flick on which Trouts buried. Caley could have won it still with the late free kick, but I don't think they would have really deserved the win. 

We are so short of players and to get a point at Inverness with not much more than 11 fit men, and no Flannigan, is a terrific effort. We desperately need to add to the squad though, there is a lack of pace up front and depth in general. We are already down to the bare bones and if we were to get a few more injuries we'd be absolutely fucked. 

I thought the Inverness of last season, when they got their best 11 on the park and flowing, were as good as anything in the league. Couldn't say that about the two performances against us over the past week though, looked pretty one dimensional and overly physical. Doran, who is a class act on his day, miles off the pace today. Plenty of talent in that squad though, I'm sure Robertson will pull it together. 

Cant really add more than this completely accurate assessment. We defended really well as a unit, constantly getting bodies behind the ball. ICT didnt really trouble us in the opening period and our goal was a thing of beauty.

The tide turned in the second half, with Caley using a bit more physicality up top to allow themselves more success. Agree that their trusted ball players didnt really shine as much as i expected them to. Our midfield did really well, particularly Hetherington. But in that second half Flannigan was a big miss- just someone to take the ball, lift the pressure off and let everyone gather their thoughts creatively. The late equaliser when the game looked lost was obviously brilliant, and on the balance of play probably deserved.

Robbie Deas is really settling in now- is really starting to understand whats expected of him in that defensive unit and had another good outing.

Edited October 20, 2019 by Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)

[Highland Capital]

1 hour ago, Father Barrys Sign (Top Half) said:

Apart from a wee bit of back and forth verbals across the sections in the closing stages- there was very little in terms of issues. In fact probably far less than any Ive seen in comparison to other grounds where its a similar setup for housing away fans.

The section allocated isnt great, although completely understand why a small support is placed there. Despite having a roof, the stadium is so open in that area that you have no protection from the elements- rained on for the second week in a row.

The stadiums definitely scenic, and you really cant argue about exiting straight onto the A9 after the game. But its still a nonsense for me having the ground so far away from the town. Modern life i guess.

The stadium is an absolute dump.  We're always asking why we can't attract or maintain fans.  The stadium is the elephant in the room.

[TheScarf]

In isolation a draw was a fair result. Neither team deserved to win IMO. 

One thing that impressed me was the movement of the Alloa front 2/3. They didn’t have the ball very much, but when they did they used it well when in the ICT half.
 

Out of isolation, it’s a terrible result as we would’ve gone top of the league. Which over the season so far, I think would be where we deserve to be.

[RiG]

Curry snoozing big time at the back post for the Alloa equaliser. Ugh.

 

[printer]

Only a couple of things to add to Waspie's and Father Barry's... excellent commentaries.

I thought Trouten (as well as Cawley and Hetherington) was excellent in his deeper role.

Thomson was poor in the build up to the second ICT goal. Losing the ball far too easily.

When Dick and Flanny are back, who will drop out? For me it's Adam Brown (although he's done well the last few weeks) and one of O'Hara and Buchs - either of which would again be unlucky.

Two home games in the next ten days and no reason we can't pick up a win.

[LeodhasXD]

 

[The Mantis]

9 hours ago, RiG said:

Curry snoozing big time at the back post for the Alloa equaliser. Ugh.

 

3.57: "Well you'd put your money on Jordan White scoring" 

 

 

[weetoonlad]

Only a couple of things to add to Waspie's and Father Barry's... excellent commentaries.

I thought Trouten (as well as Cawley and Hetherington) was excellent in his deeper role.

Thomson was poor in the build up to the second ICT goal. Losing the ball far too easily.

When Dick and Flanny are back, who will drop out? For me it's Adam Brown (although he's done well the last few weeks) and one of O'Hara and Buchs - either of which would again be unlucky.

Two home games in the next ten days and no reason we can't pick up a win.

Great post we need one win and one draw next two home games . 4 points and I will be a happy Supporter